Improvement in dusters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAWN M. SMITH, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO LYDIA A. SMITH,

I OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT m DUSTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,376, dated January28, 1873.

or manufaeture'of a duster, composed in part of a fine fiber toconstitute the body of the duster, and in part of .a coarse fiber orfeathers to serve as a stiffener to prevent the finer fibers or bodyfrom becoming moppy.

Hemp dusters, so called-that is, dusters composed entirely of hemporflax-are not considered as durable or as efficient after a little usein removing dust as when new, for the reason that the hemp soon losesthe stiffening artificially imparted to it, and the duster becomes moppyand flabby, and its efficiency is therefore very greatly impaired.Feather clusters are light and pretty, but they are expensive, and arenot reliable nor durable, for the reason that when they become a littleworn the shafts or stems of the feathers becomebare, and the dusters arenot suitable for dusting nice furniture because of the liability ofscratching the same; and, moreover, the vanes soon wear off, and anexpensive duster is rendered useless.

By my invention I combine in a single duster all the good qualities ofthe hemp dustor with the lightness of the feather duster.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedduster. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 isa transverse or cross section taken on the plane of the line a: m,Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram explanatory of the manner of making theduster.

A designates a layer or several layers of the fine fiber which is toconstitute the body of the duster; and this may consist of hemp, flax,or jute. B designates the stiffener, and this may consist of feathers,Manila, Tampico, Sisal, hemp, and, in some cases, bristles.

In making the duster I lay out evenly the desired quantity of fine fiberfor the outside A of the duster. (See Fig. 4.) I then lay thestiffeningsay, feathers B-upon the layer A, and then upon thisstiffenerIfind it desirable to place another layer, A, of the finefiber. The whole is then stitched together, say, from two to four inchesfrom the end, which is to be fastened to the handle, say, as shown at a,Fig. 4. The end which is to receive the handle is then, preferably,again stitched, as shown at b, Fig. 4, in order to draw or pucker thisend till of a size to fit the handle D, to'which it is secured. bygluing, wiring, or any other secure method and a cap of leather or othermaterial, (I, is, preferably, placed over this fastened end in order torender more neat the appearance of the duster.

In practice I find that from three to six ounces of the finer or bodyfiber and from one to one and a half ounce of stiffening will producethe ordinary sizes of dusters.

The arrangement of the stiffening may be varied. It may be located asshown in Fig.

2, or in the center, or otherwise, so long as it is so placed as to havethe effect of preventing the body of the. duster from becoming ppy- Myimproved duster possesses every merit of both the hemp and the featherduster, without the objectionablefeatures of either. When constructed offiber and feathers, as herein shown, it combines the softness anddurability of the one with the flexibility and lightness of the other.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The new article of manufacture of a duster, composed of a body of finefiber, A, with stiff ening B, and provided with a handle, D,substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

GAVVN M. SMITH.

Witnesses:

H. M. CARR, THOMAS W. COLE Scofr'r.

